Moving to a new place can be a trying and hectic experience -- especially for sports teams and fans that grow attached to them.
Emotions were particularly swirling yesterday when Altoona Curve President and Managing Partner Chuck Greenberg announced ownership's intent to purchase and relocate the New York-Penn League's Class A New Jersey Cardinals, an affiliate of Major League Baseball's St. Louis Cardinals, to State College for the 2006 season.
"We were certainly pleased with Monday's developments," Greenberg said. "We've been working on this project for several years now, and the reaction we've had from State College and Centre County has been tremendous."
But northern New Jersey residents are none too pleased about the move.
"The thing that hurts is that there's so many people that love the team, and now it's gone," New Jersey Assistant General Manager Herm Sorcher said. "It'll be tough the next couple weeks."
The New Jersey Cardinals have been a fixture in Augusta since 1994, when they set attendance records and placed first with a 43-32 record. Attendance recently trailed off a bit, but Sorcher said the team was still "in the middle of the pack," drawing 3,000 fans a game.
Penn State's Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, on the other hand, will hold a capacity crowd of 6,000. Greenberg also added that the stadium would be among the nicest in the Penn League.
Still, Sorcher didn't believe the deal for the team had anything to do with sagging attendance.
"I think any team is for sale, it's just, 'Will you pay the price?' and [the Altoona Curve] hit the number for this franchise," Sorcher said.
Sorcher was hopeful the community would receive another deal from a minor league team, but said he didn't harbor any ill feelings toward the Curve since "it's just business."
And business it was; the Curve's options were extremely limited -- either create a team or buy one. Unfortunately for New Jersey, minor league expansion only occurs when Major League Baseball expansion does. In the end, it was just a matter of what team Greenberg and company would try to acquire.
"If it was a full-season franchise, there would be scheduling conflicts with Penn State," he said. "So, we particularly targeted a short-season team -- we knew it would have to be from the New York-Penn League.
"We came to realize that the Cardinals were the right team because under the terms of their lease they were eligible to relocate."
One of the other advantages to purchasing New Jersey's Class A squad is its established track record. Some 26 professional players have, at one time or another, played for the franchise, including Matt Morris, Coco Crisp, Dan Haren and Adam Kennedy.
Normally, the Cardinals place some of their brighter, younger prospects on the club for one season. According to Sorcher, if St. Louis signs 30 draft picks, "20 of those players will probably get on the team."
The New Jersey club is still under a Player Development Contract with St. Louis that won't expire until after 2006. In other words, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Curve's major-league affiliate, will have no ties with the team -- and may never. St. Louis could very well renew the contract for the 2007 season.
Still, Greenberg reiterated that the acquisition was primarily for the Curve's ownership group, Curve Baseball LP, and that it was a perfect fit for State College.
"The community is so sports-minded that we think having a State College franchise will be a tremendous addition to the region," Greenberg said.
And while the Cardinals' hometown may be disappointed, every baseball fan in State College certainly is excited about the prospect of a minor league team.
"Hopefully the community will get baseball crazy around here," said Nittany Lions baseball coach Robbie Wine.
The State College baseball team also has yet to invent a nickname, although there are five finalists: Anglers, Coalys, Furnace, Haymakers and Spikes. The team's nickname will be officially released sometime around Thanksgiving.
